costs of social care. ani should see mo money coming in to this absolutely vital area. >> will be prime minisr join me in welcoming figures from the counselor that shows the number of first time buyers has hit a five year high? >> certainly join my honorable friend. i think is has been a problem that i has dogged our economy or the last few years, is that no one wants us to go back to 110% mortgages that we had during the boom times, but weo need to make available to young people the chance that both earning decent salary to be able to buy a case of flood or a decent house th a mortgage that doesn't require a massive deposit. that hasn't been possible for people in recent years and i ink the bank of england move on funding for landings scheme from 80 billion pounds is now going through to the mortgage market and making available lower mortgages at a decent a long-term rate. and that's great.

>> thank you, sir. [shouting] [laughter] >> further to the exchange to the leader of the opposition earlier, can ask the prime minister if he will tell the house whether he will personally benefit from the millionaires tax cut, to be introduced in april? >> i will pay all the taxes that are due in the proper way. but the point i would make to him -- [shouting] the point i would make to him is that all the years he sat on this side of the house there was a top rated tax that was lower than the one we're putting in place. and i didn't hear any complaining from him within. >> thank you, mr. speaker. [inaudible] does the prime minister share my concern that

hard-working families and widows are being used n order -- [inaudible]? >> i think my honorable friend makes a very good point. this government has made available money for a council tax freeze, that has the consequences in wales that that money is there for a council tax freeze. and people in wales knowho to blame if their council tax isn't frozen but it is the labour assembly government in wales. they are to blame. they are the ones who are charging hard-working people more for their council tax. [shouting] >> we remember the prime minister promised he was going to force -- [inaudible] can be prime minister explain why the energy bill contains no such commitment and why he is broken that promise? >> i have to say to the honorable gentleman he is completed wrong. the energy bill does exactly what i said in a house. it is legislating to force congress to give people the

lowest tariff. >> thank you, mr. speaker. schools -- [shouting] >> i'm sorry to mr. speaker the opposition -- >> order. gift courtesy. there was a collective groan. [laughter] >> notably, notably on the opposition benches, and it's quite inexplicable. i have called for the good doctor. let's hear from the good doctor. [shouting] >> thank you, mr. speaker. schools in cambridge have been underfunded for decades by those after government and the previous one. the latest figures show people -- at 600 pounds per pupil per year less than english average. the worst in the entire country. does therime minister agree that this is simply unfair? will you support our school campaign and pledged to end this discrepancy in this parliament? >> primeinister spent i will look carefully at what my

honorable friend said. what -- we have protected the schools budget so that the per pupil funding is the same throughout this parliament. so head teachers can plan on the basis, and by encouraging academy schools and preschools we are making sure that schools get more of the education money going directly to them. >> thank you, mr. speaker. the isf describes the chance was benefits cut is giving with one hand and taking away with many others. does the prime minister think that the sister on hard-working families were at the same time he is giving to millionaires with both hands? >> i don't agree with the honorable lady but that's what the isf saves it as i quoted the lastly, the isf point out that actually the highest increase in terms of tax payments has come from the better off, and the changes the government has made our particularly helping hard-working people on the

minimum wage who will see the income tax bill cut in half if that's what we're doing under this government and we won't forget the abolition of the 10 p. tax ratethat i for every hard-working person in the country. >> i know the prime minister is aware about the community exchange which is happening on friday which is a meeting between 50 businesses and 50 charities and community organizations, and hope the prime minister will congratulate the freedom communications have alreadyoffered 150 hours of their time to help local charities, including westfield. and i do hope the prime minister really encourages all colleagues in ministers to initiate these proceedings with their constituents because it's a big society impact. [shouting] >> i think my honorable friend is right, very large part of the big society is businesses

coming together to help all into groups and charities in local communities. and i think it's excellent that he is doing the good work and his constituents and i pretended to all those are joining a. as i said earlier it is good news that volunteering is up, the big society is getting bigger. >> is he still eating processed beef? >> i'm falling fred kempe what the food standard agency said, and what the food standard agency say is there's nothing unsafe on our shelves. >> thank you, mr. speaker. a review into the procedures of the northern hospital has been carried out because of the high mortality rate. clearly this is a concern to my constituents. and the prime minister asure them that whatever recommendation come out of the review will be complemented in full? >> well, i concern to give that assurance. it is important we get to the

bottom of an hospital that has an unnaturally high mortality rate. it's important these inspections and inve [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> you have been watching "prime minister's questions." it is sunday nights and 9:00 p.m. eastern and pacific on c- span. next week, the british house of commons will be in recess. "prime minister's questions" returns. you can find video of past questions and other british public affairs programs online. next, a speech by the british labour party leader, ed miliband.

and then, a climate change rally here in washington, and at 11:00 p.m., it "q&a" with the former director of the nixon library, timothy naftali. >> what worries me is i do not want to be sitting at the same place i was four years ago. i would like to see a process of spectrum management so that things like incentive auctions will continue, where the commission gives more flexibility to existing licensees. the secondary market works in a little bit of a smoother way than it does now. >> looking at the data usage of subscribers, we are seeing up to 30% rates on an annual basis, and there is no slowing down.

there is an insatiable hunger for capacity. it has a long, long future, the cable industry. >> more from this year's consumer electronics show with the future of cable, spectrum use, in research and development, monday night on "the communicators" on c-span2. last thursday in what is being widely reported as a campaign speech for the 2015 election, british party leader ed miliband outlined a plan to rebuild the british economy. he called to reintroducing a tax rate for low-income earners and creating a program for students who want an alternative to traditional university. this is one hour.

can i think you? a round of applause? [applause] can i also wish you all a happy valentine's day and say to those of you who chose to come here, thinking for choosing to spend part of the valentine's day with me and ed. this is an important moment for the labour party, and we are happy to be here. in 1957, another prime minister came. he gave a speech just across the river from here to celebrate

britain's economic success. he talked about economic success. new jobs, higher wages, greater opportunities for people to make something better for themselves and for their families. it became known as the speech where he declared, "you've never had it so good." now, today in bedford, in britain as things are, they feel very different. small-business people are working harder than ever before. people are working harder than ever before, but for far too many, wages are falling, and prices are rising. they feel worse off, not better off. far from feeling they have never had it so good, millions across britain today fear they will never have it so good again. and the question that people ask me is how will we turn this around? and that is what i have come to

bedford to talk about, because i think it starts with a truth that we have forgotten as a country, that economic recovery will be made by the many, not just by a few at the top. britain needs great, successful, big-business leaders. it needs them to feel rewarded and supported, but they know better than anyone that they cannot succeed alone. it is only when working people have confidence and security, when everyone's sons and daughters have chances to get the skills that they need, when businesses succeed, and when to get the rebuilt world-class services, our country can prosper. that's not a labour idea or a conservative idea. it is a british idea.

and it is what i want to talk to you about today. previous generations knew the truth. our economic success depends on the success of all working people. in the industrial revolution, it was not just the mill owners and the factory bosses who drove our economy forward. it was the people who went down the mines, spun the cotton, who built the ships, and constructed items, they were the ones that created our economic success. many did not come from wealthy families. they came from ordinary families, people like a great engineer thomas telford and the inventor of the railway, robert stephenson, and in the 19th century, britain improved housing, built proper sanitation, ensured good working conditions, not just because it

was fair, but because it was essential for our economy to succeed. our country knew that economic success was made by the many, not just by a few at the top. and you know that here in bedford better than anyone. because just down the road from here, there is the stewart brickworks, and that gave jobs to thousands of people. the bricks the people of bedford made constructed the houses that they and so many others lived in. and it was the good wages they earned that made it possible for them to afford to buy their homes. economic success was built with the hands of working people, but could only be sustained through the pockets of working people, because they could afford to buy those homes. and britain knew this lesson too after the second world war.

we all know the history. we built great new public services to improve people's lives, and improved education system, and the national system, but the nhs and the free education system did not do just that. as well. i think of my dad, who came to britain as an immigrant, was able to learn english at the technical college. he was part of that generation for whom the postwar world was built, and he built the postwar world. it was only possible because britain knew that a healthy, educated work force is vital to our economic success. but, you know, somewhere along the way, we forgot that a

successful economy is made by the many, not just by a few, and that is a lesson that we have got to relearn if we are going to succeed. because people here know the truth. right across britain, people putting in the hours and during the ship's, something has changed over the last few years. there is less chance of a promotion, less chance of a pay rise. prices just go up and up. petrol for the car. tickets for the train. child care for their kids, deposits for their first home. this squeezed middle has never been so squeezed, and the bad news is if we carry on as we are, things will not get better. now, why are we in this position? it is no wonder our economy is

not growing when people cannot afford to buy the goods and services that they are producing and selling, and then think, too, about the skills of working people to succeed. young people here in this training center are getting absolutely fantastic helped, but so many young people are not getting that help. every time a young person with talent cannot get on, it is not just bad for them. it is bad for our economy, as well. some of you who are here today, you own businesses. your businesses are vital to the functioning of our economy. but today, many small businesses are prospering. to keep them growing, hiring, and investing. a better tomorrow. but that tomorrow never seems to

come. you know better than anyone that any time someone has a great idea but is held back, that is not just bad for them, it is bad for our country as a whole. so today, britain's economy is not just working. and that is why it is not working for britain. it is no mystery as to why we are in the trouble we are in. and let me say this. the squeeze on working people, the squeeze on living standards, it did not just start. it has deep roots. if you look at the last three decades or so, less than 15 pence of any additional pound than britons have earned have gone to the lowest 50% of earners in our country. 24 pence of every pound has gone to the top 1% of earners.

the people right at the top. the government took action to change this. a family with a minimum wage and tax credits. but it was not enough. the problem now is that things are getting worse, not better. the government promised change. they are cutting taxes for one group in the economy, this april. the very richest in society. believe it or not, this april, people earning more than 1 million pounds per year will get an average tax cut of 100,000 pounds. now, do not get me wrong. we need very successful entrepreneurs in britain, making profits, being rewarded, but we just cannot succeed as a country hoping wealth will trickle back on from those at

the top to everybody else. that is why it is not right to be cutting taxes for the very richest when everyone else has seen their living standards worsened. you know, somebody said to me recently, "this government seems to be the first in history to base their whole economic strategy on the misery rather than the success of the working people of the country. at the same time, it is cutting taxes for the richest. they are cutting elsewhere. we pay more for a train tickets, energy bills, and more fuel for the car. david cameron, the prime minister, talks about a global race. you know this year, that it is essential that we compete with china and india and others, but britain will not win a race to the bottom. we will not win a race by saying

we want to compete on the basis of all lois skills and low wages. that is not the way our country is going to succeed in the future, and you know this year better than anyone. that is why you are working so hard to provide people with the training that they need to get on. so what do we offer at the moment? the promise of wealth trickling down from the top, a squeeze on the middle, and a race to the bottom in skills and wages. there is a better way than that, and if you need to know why we need a better way, look at what has happened over the last 2.5 years. remember this promise. we were promised that we could have growth and a lower deficit. in fact, we have had almost no growth, and the deficit is rising again. that is because people are not at work and paying taxes. they are a lot of work and on benefits.

we will only build prosperity what everyone does their part. and to do that, we need a new one nation's strategy for the british economy. the starting point is where i started, in the recovery made by many, not just a few. we cannot go on with an approach that simply promises more of the same. year after year of squeezed living standards for the majority of working people. did is wrong for them, and it is wrong for our economy -- it is wrong for them. we should start with a temporary cut in value added tax. canceling the millionaire's tax cut, and not cutting tax credits this april for working people. the approach we need is not just different go from this government. it is different from the last.

after the next election, there will be less money around. we will inherit a high deficit and face difficult choices, but we have also learned from this government that without applying for growth, our plan for the deficit will fail. different choices and new priorities will turn our economy around. that was started by protecting the incomes of working people with new priorities and taxation. we will talk about them today. and one nation labor economy will put this at the heart of the new priorities. it is a crucial part of how we build an economy where everyone can play their part. the one nation technical college, went on to -- the one nation labour budget will be not just for the few at the top of society. and let me tell you about one crucial choice that we would make, which is different from

this government and different from the last government. we will tax houses worth more than 2 million pounds, and we will use the money to cut taxes for working people. we will put right a mistake made by gordon brown and the last government. we will use the money raised to reintroduce a lower 10-pence starting tax. the size depending on the amount raised. this would benefit 25 million basic rate tax payers. and it would move labour on from the past and put it where it should always have been, on the side of working people. it shows our priority to do everything we can to make a difference in people's living standards, and it says a message about how britain is going to succeed in the years ahead, that when you play your part, when

you make your contribution to our economy, you will be rewarded. britain's economic success will be built by the many. that is why we want a 10-pence tax rate. we have rightly said that we will not only set out our tax and spending commitments at the next general election. that is the way a responsible group should conduct itself. however, this is a clear signal about the priority we attach to a fairer tax system and to the living standards of working people in britain. we will also be making different choices for ordinary working families. we know the truth. working people are paying more than they should for energy to credit, and that is why our

labour government will do this. we will cap interest on unpaid loans. all part of a plan for our one nation's economy. but it is only the beginning. the biggest change will come from economic reform. let me say something about skills, and this is the right place to say it. you all know that britain needs to have the best skilled work force in the world if we're going to compete. the industrial revolution that our country lead was brought by the skills of the best workers in the world. in more recent decades, british universities have given us some of the world's greatest scientists and innovators. but here is the truth. we still lags way behind our competitors. not because we do not work hard either. we do. we are working longer hours than

many of our competitors yet still have lower productivity. i think that is for one particular reason, because we are not doing enough to get the best out of everyone. in particular, the 50% of young people who do not go to university. it is from the apprentices that we have here today and those across the country that the next wave of productivity and growth must come from. we need nothing short of a revolution in education. of course, i want young people from all backgrounds to be able to aspire to go to university, but i also want young people who are awarded and apprenticeships to know that we value you. that means our country has to change. we must end what says the university is always best and vocational education is somehow second-best. it is simply not true.

that is why one-nation labour will create a new technical baccalaureate, so at the age of 14, you know what you are aiming for, you know what you are aspiring to weather in school, college, or at work. it will give employers the control of money for training for the first time so that people are trained in the skills they need for the future, more places that connect up and make sure they are getting the skills that they need. and we will demand that british employers step up, too, because they must play their part of the iroquois to create a one nation economy. they must offer apprenticeship and training right across the country, and i know that so many great british companies want to play their part in leading this revolution. but one thing that we have

learned, particularly since the financial crisis, is that we just cannot provide people with the skills and then sit back and expect the right jobs for them to be there. we have got to take interest in the kinds of jobs our economy is creating. today, we are increasingly two nations. high-skilled, high-paying jobs for those at the very top, and low-skill, low paying jobs for too many people. that is because over the last three decades, we have seen fewer and fewer middle-income jobs in britain. that is fewer jobs in skilled trades and more jobs paying less with greater insecurity. we have got to turn this around as a country, so our one nation economy has to support businesses that create sustainable, middle-income jobs. that was an important industrial

policy. it will create jobs of the future. the industries that are so important to our country. and an end to the short-termism that prevents many from investing, too. let me just give you an example. just to make a fast buck. it is wrong and it damages good, british companies and the labour government would stop it from happen passenger one nation labour would also work with companies and workers to have a living wage across the country. but we also need to understand another big change in our economy if we succeed. many new jobs in the future, will come not from a small number of large businesses, but from a large number of small businesses. so we need a new one-nation

strategy for small business. there are more than 3.5 million sing hill person businesses in britain right now. people starting out trying to make a difference, like many people here today. these small businesses on their side, a government to take their best interest wherever they find them in the public or private sector. one nation labour will be that government. that is why the one nation labour is leading the banking reform. we called for rell celebration between casinos and high street banking so we can return the world from banker from an insult into an compliment. if the -- the chancellor has moved on this issue but he has not moved far enough.

we need that in legislation, so the banking system does not change its culture, we can break the banks up. new small businesses need something else. they need opportunities to work together. so one nation labour government would change the way our regional growth funds work. at the moment, all they do is prioritize the needs of big business. we make them work with small businesses across the country as well. so we could find new ways that businesses to build new facilities and build deeper connections with each other so they can overcome the challenges they face. finally, businesses and working people need a whole nation that supports them. in the 19th century, people argued for clean air and sanitation because it was right. it also allowed people to move to the cities for work and the great new industries to prosper.

in the 20th century, the school leaving age went from 11 to 16 in the course of that century. that was the right thing to do it enabled people to do the job they couldn't have dreamed of before but it also helped our economy as well. now in the 21st century we have to remember those lessons. today, britain just leaves people on their own. that means too many parents can't work, but they can't get the child care they need. too many people have to drop out of work, when their parents become old or ill because they can't get the social care they need. too many young people don't have enough money for deposits on their first home. that is bad for them and bad for our economy as well. too many businesses can't success but they don't have the roads, the rail, the

infrastructure to support them. businesses right across britain know the truth, they can't solve those problems on their own. none of us on our own we can build the roads or housing that we need it is only by acting together. that's the idea of the one nation economy. it will be built by the many by all of us working together and not just a few at the top. that's what we're going to fight for between now and the next general election. this is not just an argument in british politics, this is the argument about where our country goes. it is the choice that will dominate the election. it is a choice between two divisions of our economy. let melee out the choice for you. -- let melee out -- me lay out

the choice for you. it is one nation labour business. our economy will only prosper when the vast majority people in this country prosper too. when working families have confidence and security and they can invest in the future and start small businesses of their own. this is a high-stakes election that we will be facing. i think britain is a fork in the road. we can carry on as we are, falling wages, low growth, failure to take on the deficit. or britain can take the path that i have outlined, a recovery made by the many. tacking the low growth and reducing the deficit. building while not squeezing the middle. all of us playing our part in turning our economy around. one nation, it is not just a better way to live, it is the only way we can prosper as a country. it is how britain has flourished in the past. it is what the labour government

understood in 1945. it is what harold mcmilan understood when he came to bedford half a century ago. we can rebuild this country. we can offer people hope. we can make the economy work for working people. it is a goal worth fighting for. it is a one-nation labour government will do. thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. i'm going to ask the chancellor to come and join me and we'll take questions. we have people here from bedford and people from elsewhere. we have journalists here so we're going to take a mix of questions.

we're going to try to get lots of people in. let's take somebody -- someone normal -- a nonjournalist first. i promise i will come to you. gentleman in the back, i will take your questions. >> bearing in mind -- >> what is your name, sir? >> what i want to know is -- with mervin king's statement recently saying there is going to be growth but the inflation will be 3% and over. how do you intend to reduce the inflation? >> ok, that sounds like a question for the chancellor. [laughter] >> that is an important thing he said yesterday. he said that inflation has been higher than his target which was

partly because of tuition fees and things outside of banking controls. he says he could try to get inflation down fast, but if he tries to get inflation fast it would choke off growth and any recovery he hoped for to come further down the track. that would be the wrong thing to do. he is going to take a more steady approach. which is exactly what we've been saying that the chancellor should have done with his deficit reduction. it was said two years ago, i'm going to get the deficit down very fast. the result has been to choke off growth, the economy has flatlined, and the deficit is going up. the governor of the bank of england thought the recovery was coming then but it has not happened then. it has flatlined in the last two years. that's why we always said a sensible approach on spending to

get inflation down steadly is the right way to go to get growth back. it will also allow inflation to come back to target within the next two years, which is what i think will happen. >> thank you very much. george? >> i wanted to ask a question about your enthusiasm about restoring the income tax. you were a treasure minister in 2007 when the tax was abolished. why did you think it was a good idea at the time and remind us why he thought with it as good idea at the time? if it was a good idea, why didn't we reverse in total what was done in 2007 and put the basic rate of income tax back up ? >> as ed said in his speech,

abolishing the tax rate was a mistake in 2007. and many people concluded that the labour lost touch with working people. at that time, what was happening was, the chancellor at the time was trying to cut 10 people, cut the basic rate of working families. one group against another, it doesn't work and it was a mistake. i set the ground before the budget and i said it was the wrong thing to do. and gil brandt said it was the wrong thing to do. and during the election which ed won and became a leader, during that time, we talked about 10p and the mistake of it and the signal it send and the importance of sporting it out.

when i became the chancellor one of our first conversations we talked about putting that right and reinstating it. so we can show whose side that labour is on. that is at a time when the economy is flatlining, live standards is falling. is it cutting taxes for people over $150,000 pounds. david cameron said yes, we say slewly not. help people with tax credit and we say now is the time to act. let's put right that mistake of 2007. cut taxes for working people with a 10p tax cut and we would pay for that with that tax. we think it would bring it around 1.7-2 billion pounds. that would allow us to do a 1,000 pounds for taxpayers. i think it shows whose side labour is on and the action now

would help living standards. the bank said yesterday they are going to fall for three more years, that is not good. that will help to get the economy moving. >> i think this is labour both facing up to the central issue that will our country faces, which i believe is the living standards crisis. and showing that we want to do something about it that would make a difference to the families. it is also facing up very clearly to a very, very bad mistake we made in government. we're saying it is wrong. we got it wrong. and we're determined to put it right, think is more oppositions that are responsible listen and understand and that's what we're doing today. another question. >> richard. i just -- as the parents of

children age 14 and 17, i'm interested to know, really, more about this technical that you mentioned. i know schools are up against penalties in terms of the way they are resourced. if they don't follow, what i think is an academically biased system for schools. what i'm interested in is, when you enable, for example schools to have more flexibility. i have to say at the moment, my perception and my children's perception is that it is very much weighed in the academic discipline and you said

university. my father left school at 14 and it wasn't a thing you would be ashamed of to go into industry then. >> thank you for asking the question. the idea of the technical program is to guide young people. my sense is -- if you're a 14-year-old you know what it looks like. if you're looking for a vocational route it is murky, frankly. what we're trying to say is let's each have an area a gold standard that young people can aim for. the apprentices here getting fantastic training. but every young person who is not going down the academic route. by the way, thing mike is taking this in the wrong direction. he is taking the creativety and the breath out of the cyr rick william.

-- curriculum. soic it is having that breath of the curriculum and sense of opportunity. but i think you're right in what i referred to is changing the culture, frankly. you know universities are great and expansion has been a great thing and you can do and go and do an apprenticeship but let's not get into the situation where we have a career route for those who go to an university and went don't have a career route for those who don't. that is something we have to change. yeah, vicki? >> vicki from bbc. the living standard and you admitted you made a mistake. why do you think voters will trust you with the government come the next election? >> the squeeze started before this government and i acknowledged this before. what all the research shows that

the government was trying to to do something about the squeeze. what you look at what we did on tax credit it was recognizing something about our economy that was squeezing living standards but we were doing something about it. what this government is doing is going in the wrong direction. it is going in the wrong direction. the idea to cut taxes for millionaires and cutting -- raising taxes for ordinary families is the way of to make the squeeze work. that is the first appointment. secondly, about what the government did in the past, i've been clear since i became leader, i'm proud of many of the things we did but we did a number of things wrong. there are two types of leader, those who defend everything that was done in the past and my views that they remain in still in the government and other

leaders who say they know that it is wrong and they need to put it right. that is what is so important. gentleman over here. >> would a future labour government help boost employment by commissioning large infrastructure projects? i'm talking about railways and airports. >> important question. ed will say something about the infrastructure commission but i think you're right. part of my argument -- this is what we learned from our history, is whether it is in the 20th century or the 19th without that infrastructure you can't support a successful economy. your economy won't succeed without that infrastructure being in place. it is partly about getting certainty about infrastructure and this is something that has

bedeviled britain. >> just to go back to the previous question. in government we do some good things. we made the decision to go ahead with cross rail, a -- but we did make some mistakes. it is important when you make mistakes to put your hand up and say we got some things wrong. the current government is making a lot of mistakes and they put their hand up on the little things. so our chancellor is happy to say on charities or caravans he got things wrong. that is not good enough. it is the big things they are getting wrong they have to admit to and change. what they have done in the last few years are big mistakes, the scale of the cuts they celebrated in the last two years is a big mistake. as long as they keep saying

they're going to do more, nothing is happening. what they should have done two years ago they need to do more on infrastructure. we need to do more onto help small businesses, if they did that the deficit would be falling. but they didn't. the economy is flatlined. you're completely right. we need to get infrastructure spending moving to get jobs and growth moving. we also have to think about what it is about britain, which means we find it so hard to make decisions about roads and railways and airports. we have a review looking at this trying to build long-term consensus to make these decisions. if we as a country drag our feet other countries around the world are making the decisions. we can't fall behind. >> in 2008, he justified the

enacting the tax because he said "it wasn't his job to get people out of poverty." >> no, i think it made a difference to people. what is the argument? why the 10p rate snorpt partly because it helps people -- important? partly because it is helps people. it has an important effect on people being able to work. you're reducing the amount of people getting taken away from them. we'll keep more of that i recall money if they earn more. that is an important incentive. it sends a message about an aggressive tax system, i think. i think that is important. i think it sends a signal that this choice -- but you have to see it framed by this choice, it

sends a signal which says, look, nobody wants to raise taxes on some people. but at the time when houses are 2 million million pounds are under taxed and people are struggling this is the right and pro gressive choice. -- progressive choice. that's the reason for this conference today. >> we have too many empty units and it seems to happen all over the country. what is the government going to do? >> i think we would do an immediate cut right now for a year, which we think would help to gain confidence and get things moving again. we can look at business rates.

inflation has really pushed up business rates. then -- i think government needs to do more to say what they can improve to infrastructure of town centers. there's lots of ways in which small businesses at the moment, they may not have a shop but there's an empty shop on my street. even for a period you can support for businesses to use that shop. it helps them and it helps the environment and the town center. i think some of the things of importance is are interesting but you have to believe that government, local governments and national governments have a role to play, a partnership with the private sector to make things happen. we used to have that across the country with other agencies that would partner together.

a lot of important things done in town centers. that got ripped up two years ago. we need a strategy but we need immediate action as well. >> let's keep going. >> do you think -- lloyd con away. i work in sports. do you think that sports education is important in the development of young people and the development of the economy? >> i absolutely do. the olympic games was a fantastic moment for britain. i think the work that needs to be done is not just inspire the young generation but make sure we deliver on the promise of the generation and the next generation. i think we have some distance to go to make that happen, frankly. i think a good thing is the school's partnership of those

but i think they helped toing or supports in schools. -- sports in schools. i'm sorry that the government took the wrong turn on both of those issues. we've said let's have a 10-year strategy for sports in school that deliver on this promise. we still want that to happen. sport, by the way, for our academy is a big constricter to our economy. it is an were -- contributor to our economy. >> my name is carol and i'm a small business owner. as you touched on business rates and one of the things that was explained to me was the business rate seems to be down for small businesses but the rate seems to

be coming higher. >> the way the appeal system works, it makes a huge difference. the rates will value for businesses who can get out of debt. you can end up with a bigger bill. you can get those things reassessed. there are long waits for companies, waiting to get to get an appeal through. the reason is there has been sauch cut in h.n.r.c. so i think that high inflation and the appeals process, and we need too look at all of those things to make them look at an effective way. that's something we're talking about at the moment. >> let's keep going. gentleman here. >> good morning.

you touched on young people which is appropriate for this place. there's over a million unemployed at the moment. if you believe the rumors that half of those are not registered or on college courses of one days a part time of no great value. the present government has made no attack on this number at all. i hope you can tackle it and they certainly have not used any imagination. i'm aware of what david is doing. why the hell are you not giving mr. cameron for not doing anything? i will see you afterwards. the thing i think is important about that this is people say to me, what would you want to do as prime minister at the beginning? what is the most important

thing? i say as prime minister, i would get every business in britain and getting of young people back to work. i don't think it is that complicated. we have a clear proposal in this. use the money to take every employers we will pay the wages of the young person. you won't be paying the wages, but you won't get free labor. you don't get free training. you train them. every young person will get a job. it will be right for the exun -- economy and the country. they are desperate to be part of their community and desperate to do their part. absolutely that is what we would do. it is an urgent priority for our

country. i'm going to take michael because he's been in line. >> i wanted to ask you about the flip side, the mansion tax. some people are hesitant about the idea and the implications on how you find them across britain. how would you make sure all of those were reeval waited of the whole country? >> we've been saying that the conservatives to the drts we would like to work with them to see how we can make this work. a year ago, the conservatives had an open mind. it has been ruled this out. two others are still keen to see what we can do. there's a range on different ways we can do. we work with the treasury team now but we would like to work with the government. it is estimated that 700

properties over 2 million pounds and over half are not main residences, they are second residences. the liberals and others estimated three or four years ago that two million mansion tax could raise 1.7 billion pounds of revenue. you have to make sure you did this in a way which meant that in a large house they are not unfairly penalized. the structure of the tax is important. we're going to treasury on monday morning to start a work group. george said he did not want to do that anymore but maybe danny alexander will. >> this is something we will consult over a couple of months. it's clear there is a way forward on this. the lady here. >> hello.

how do you keep this going on the campaign and how do we make living wage a viable option to british businesss? >> i'm pleased that you asked that question. the minute yum wage which is the legal wage and that is set on complers and government working together to make sure it is set at a rate that they do the right thing. then there is a legal minimum but we looked at employers could doll more than the legal minimum. the question is, how do you encourage to do so? i think there has been brilliant progress made. two years ago there were two councils made the living wage.

many of them are not just living wage employers to their staff but they are saying to contractors, if you want to contract with us, fine, but you have to be paying with the living wage. that is something we're looking at and we must look at. it is right to look at that. doesn't that cost more money? it doesn't cost more money because actually it tends to be the case because they are keen to get the contracts and you're applying some sense of conditionalty to getting the contracts. there's another way it can be taken forward. i think it is also right to say that the citizens in london and u.k. is important. put pressure on employers, if you can do you should be a living wage employers.

at least you can make a comparison across a sector. you don't make-up reasonable comparisons, who is paying the live wage and who isn't? i think it is something we need to come back to and something we can make progress for. >> as much as i would love to see robin at bbc news. you said in 2012 that you would like to see a manage tax to reverse tax credits. do you still stand by that? secondly, continue down the status of these announcements today. is this a policy pledge? is this an idea? if what you would do if ed was presenting the budget this month? which is it?

>> the government's budget and the mansion tax cut the tax an cut the tax credits and we've said over the last year, they should look at -- not going to the top rate tax cut in april. we're not going ahead with the 1% hit on tax credit. when we talk about the youth jobs guarantee we talk about the tax to pay for that. today, we're saying a labour government would use the proceeds of a mansion tax to pay for the reduction of the 10p tax rate. we never made a pledge ever about the mansion tax. that is what we're doing today to pay for the 10p. two, three years out we can't know where we'll be. we remember in 2007, the pledge about the inheritance tax and he's being forced he's not going

to see through with that not responsible politics. right now, the labour government would introduce a mansion tax for 10p. that is what we want to do in government. if he does, we'll support him. >> i think that is absolutely right. we've always said and we've you know, look at -- looked at the history of things two years from the election here are the spending commitments. you do that at the circumstances of the time. both of us are doing today is sending a clear message and clear signal about the priority we attach to taxation and the particular importance we attach to the 10p and paying with it by the mansion tax. that is what we want to do in

government. yes? >> i'm really sorry. >> we're all one company. >> one nation. [laughter] >> sorry. >> speaking of the mansion tax, you mentioned that you will keen to work with vince cable. how will it be cared out, it might be more expensive to care -- carry out this tax? is this a piece of strategy? >> no. it is a very simple question which we need to ask.

in tough times, facing the circumstances that we are as a country, what is the priority for the country? george is preparing a budget next month. we're thinking ahead about labour in combovement. we're saying clearly today that the budget and the priorities of the future, we want a mansion tax because we think it is the wealth of over 1 billion pounds in terms of housing and it is under taxed. live standards are not just falling now but they are set to fall in the future. we know his position is. the battle line is lined out. his party treasure wrote that i have great news for you. we're never going to do this. it was the headline of -- so today made a clear choice.

their party is not doing a mansion tax. that is what politics are about is setting out the priorities. >> this was a pre-election proposal. the promise is not broken yet. it was heavily scrutinized. so there are different ways to do this and there is no doubt it can done and no doubt it will raise a substantial amount of money. i think the 2 billion is a reasonable estimate. there are different ways to do this but there are 70,000 properties. over a% of them are second homes and many will be unoccupied and more about investments. that is a good way to raise some taxes and do something important for working families. >> despite the fact people have

questions, i want to say one final question from one of the apprentices here who gets the last word. >> i would like to ask a question. >> remind me of your name. >> [inaudible] a lot of us go to university hopefully was day so what do you plan on college fees? >> what we said about 18 months ago, was that we wanted to have tuition about 6,000 pounds to 9,000 pounds. i understand the difficulties people are facing and i see it on my own constituents that i represent in northern england and i see how it is putting off some young people about going to

the university because they worry about the debt burden they will have. we want to make it affordable. for the reasons we set out earlier on we will set out what we can afford to do at the time of the reeks. i think that is the right thing to do. we absolutely recognize the issues affecting young people and the sense among young people. the older generation seemed to have it quiet easier and your generation seems to have it much, harder. that is something we seek to do something about. >> the question you raised, people often think the choices, do you go to a university or do you do an apprenticeship? an apprenticeship can be a good route to go to level three and level four qualification, which is an university qualification.

we can make some changes to help you get to the university. if you do, that will be a real tribute to your apprenticeship so let's hope you make it. >> we want to thank you and the bedford facility. all of you for coming along. we're going to have a short tour to go around and talk to some of the young people here. for now let me say, thank you so much for being here and what a fantastic job you're doing here. [applause] >> i think the women themselves in many cases, were interested in politics but had no vehicle to express that in their own lives. so they were attracted to men who were going to become politically active or already politically active. >> each of them i find intrigue being and perhaps half of them

because they are so obscure, historically. half of these women would be almost totally unrecognizable to most men and women on the street. >> this president's day c-span preerses its new series "first lay days" with historians, chiefs of staffs, and chefs, exploring the lives of the women who served as first lay day from martha washington to michelle obama. season one begins monday night on 9:00 p.m. watch the show earlier in the day live at 2:00 p.m. on c-span. >> a rally was held today for climate change and to reject the

keystone xl pipeline. here's a portion of the rally beginning with senator sheldon whitehouse. ♪ power shift, power shift, power shift. power shift, power shift, power shift. [applause] if you did not warm up on that moment, that's your opportunity. looking at the multi-tier approach, inside and outside, in the suites and in the streets. coming up now is someone who is doing it in the suites.

they're doing it on the inside. give it up to the fine senator from rhode island. give it up. give it up for senator sheldon whitehouse. make some noise. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. welcome. welcome to our nation's capital. welcome to our peoples mall. there is a lot of history here of americans coming to this place to make their voices heard. so thank you for coming and and joining that history of american voices.

your voices can make a difference. your voice is a need to make a difference. because congress is sleepwalking through this crisis and it's time to wake up. [applause] help wake us up. add your voice as a citizen of the climate change taskforce with me and congressman waxman of california. sign up at wakeuptoclimatechange.com and make your voice is heard. you know, the polluters do not want you here. they do not want you here. they do not want your voices heard.

have the lobbyists. they have the super pac's. they have this town in their pockets. they have the situation under control. and then you show up. and then that we show up. and we change the game. you brought your voices. are you going to be heard? [applause] you know we need to hear you. are you going to be heard? they say that climate change is a hoax. are you going to be heard about that? and they say that the science isn't clear and we should wait

some more. are you going to be heard about that? we are going to be heard. we are going to make this right. it is not just us. there is a man over there in the white house who has found his voice on climate change. we are going have his back. he has said it to fail to act is to betray future generations. are we going to betray future generations? we're going to help barack obama win this fight and make this right. it's not just for us. look down the hallways of history. they are watching.

they know this is our time. they know this is our choice. they know this is our moment. they know that we were made for this moment. to our children, their children, their children, are we going to say we failed? no chance. we're going to have the no chance. president's back. we're going to look down the hallways of history with those children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and we're going to say to them -- yes, we did. we're going to say to them, this was our time and these were all voices. this was our choice. by god, yes, we did.

[applause] yes, we can. yes, we can. yes, we can. yes, we can. yes, we can. yes, we can. >> ladies and gentleman, it has been said one ought not to be obstinate unless one ought to be. and then, one ought to be unshakable. my friends, let us be unshakable. [applause] >> one more time, make some noise. [applause]

before a bring on our next speaker, i want to just take five seconds and say this. the reality of our movement is this. if we fail, the consequences are dire. they have already been dire. you see, i'm from louisiana. my family and friends went through katrina. and for those in new york, you have just gone through sandy. people put your fists in the air all over. fists all the way around. i heard there is 40,000 of you now. put your fist in the air for those babies with asthma, the grandma's dealing with cancer,

for all those who have dealt with cancer, bad water, bad air. put your fist in the air for humanity. we say -- can't stop. >> won't stop. >> can't stop. >> won't stop. >> can't stop. >> won't stop. >> now make some noise! [applause] give it up for maria cardona, senior adviser from hillary clinton's 2008 campaign. she's on cnn. give it up for maria cardona. ♪>> gracias.

buenos tardes. i'm so happy to be here with all of you at this historic event. this is a way to stand up for climate change. thank you to 350.org, nrdc, and the sierra club, and all of you making this powerful rally possible. for our children, our future, we must do more for climate change. just a few short years ago, the environmental issues did not really register with latinos as a constant concern. times have changed and that has changed. that has changed, sadly, because we have seen the detrimental effect of toxins in our air and water and what it does to our families and their children.

unfortunately, latino communities, families, and all the communities in this country are suffering from this. they may not disproportionately live in communities where their air and water have been poisoned, our children have as much. -- asthma. we live. we breathe, we play in these places that have been poisoned by these toxins. to the president's statement, we do not have to choose between our environment and our economy. that really hit home for latinos and for all of us. carbon pollutions from the dirty power plants and saying no to the keystone and tar sands pipeline. [applause] president obama's legacy, his response, his resolve in responding to the climate crisis.

the oil industry claimsthat the keystone pipeline is for our energy security. we know that this pipeline is the industry new access to foreign markets and the ability to hurt the tar sands for more money. it is win-win for them. what about us? what about ensuring we have what we need to make sure our families have economic security and health security? it's a lot for all of us when it comes to clean air and clean water in our climate. we also keep hearing about these job killing regulations. for millions of americans, especially minority and low-income communities, clean air protections are lifesaving regulations. this is another big reason why environmental issues are

registering on the mind of some and a latino families today. we and unequivocal support lowering the pollution from power plants. we need new regulations and it will help the health of our family now and into the future. the president's plan to create more clean energy jobs, responsible energy development, it is literally what the doctor ordered for all of us. let's make sure that we help this president on his commitment and plans when we marched to the white house today. on climate change, amigos, i have no doubt that with your commitment, your energy, your heart and soul -- si! si, se puede. si, se puede.

>> one more time, i need your help. for those on the speaker stands -- get off. say it. for those on the speaker stands -- get off. those of the speaker stands -- get off. please. please. nice rally. [laughter] right now, we're going to have our little celebrity. it's not only about the media. from the streets to the suites, but those who join us and have a great platform. give it up for nolan from "modern family."

♪give it up. and fighting in the streets, 2011 prize winner. keep pushing. on cue, just jump. let's jump. oh, yeah. come on. say no keystone pipeline. say no keystone pipeline.

say no keystone pipeline. say no! you are awesome. thank you so much. >> on behalf of canada, i apologize. i'm ashamed of what my country is doing. i'm ashamed we're knocking on your door for oil. i want to stand up here as a canadian and say i'm sorry to the workers in canada and the workers in america have to go home and look their kids in the eye and know they are damaging their future. i want to say yes to jobs that allow americans and canadians to go home and look to their kids in the eye and say, i'm fighting for you. i'm working for you.

[applause] >> thank you so much. thank you, thank you. moving along. these are for the people fighting in the trenches out there. keep fighting. keep hope alive. we are behind you, barack obama. >> let's keep going. >> you can see the rally held today on the national mall to raise awareness toon climate change on our website, c-span.org. next q&a with timothy naftali. then british prime minister david cram ron takes questions at the house of commons.

>> what worries many is that i don't want to sit in the same place i was a couple years ago going to the government and saying can we have more spectrum please? i would like to see a process of spectrum management that is more market driven. so incentive auctions will continue to work and it gives more flexibility. that the secondary market works in a smoother way than it does now. >> you look at the growth wait in data usage from subscribers to cable users and there is no slowing down. there's an insatiable hunger for faster speeds. so sthray a long future in being so sthray a long future in being able to provide those